A return to the Southern Conference, along with trips to Tennessee and VCU, highlights slate that features 14 homes games inside Freedom Hall

 JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 9, 2014) – A lineup of opponents that includes longtime Southern Conference rivals, road games at Tennessee and VCU, and plans to play the entire home portion of the schedule at Freedom Hall Civic Center highlight the 2014-15 ETSU men’s basketball schedule released Tuesday by head coach Murry Bartow.

The Buccaneers will play 14 regular season home games inside Freedom Hall, along with an exhibition game against Milligan College on Nov. 3. Home dates to circle on the calendar include visits from Mercer (Jan. 8), Chattanooga (Jan. 10), Wofford (Feb. 5), Furman (Feb. 14), UNC Asheville (Nov. 22), Western Carolina (Dec. 3), UNCG (Dec. 13) and Tennessee Tech (Feb. 16).

“We think it will be really exciting for our players and our fans to return to the Southern Conference and host teams like Chattanooga, Furman and Wofford, as well as teams like Mercer who we enjoyed playing over the last several years,” Bartow said. “With the rest of our conference schedule and home games against non-conference teams like Tennessee Tech and UNC-Asheville, we think this is a lineup of games that will excite our fans and give them good reason to come out to Freedom Hall this winter.”

Fans interested in purchasing season tickets are encouraged to call the ETSU athletic ticket office at 423-439-ETSU (3878) or visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the ticket link. With the move to Freedom Hall there are new opportunities to purchase great seats, and a new pricing structure that provides a ticket price for any budget.

“We have been really pleased with the response of our fans to our new seating and ticketing plan at Freedom Hall,” said ETSU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Richard Sander. “At this point, the premium courtside and midcourt seating sections are nearly sold out, so we are encouraging both our regular season ticket holders as well as new fans to call our ticket office soon to make sure they are part of this exciting new era of ETSU basketball.”

The Buccaneers, who have reached postseason play six times in 11 seasons under Bartow, will open with a Blue-Gold scrimmage inside Freedom Hall on Oct. 30. The first regular season game of the year will follow on the road at Valparaiso on Nov. 14^th, the Bucs will return to Freedom Hall for their regular season home opener on Nov. 18^th against Virginia-Wise.

The Bucs will begin their SoCon schedule with a pair of games in December at home against Western Carolina (Dec. 3) and UNCG (Dec. 16), with games on the road at VCU (Dec. 22) and Tennessee (Dec. 31) following later that month.

For more on ETSU men’s basketball throughout the 2014-15 season, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s hoops link.

2014-15 ETSU Men’s Basketball Schedule

Thursday, Oct. 30 ......................... Blue/Gold Game (scrimmage)

Monday, Nov. 3 ................................................  Milligan (exhibition)

Friday, Nov. 14 ..............................................................  at Valparaiso

Tuesday, Nov. 18 ........................................................  Virginia-Wise

Saturday, Nov. 22..................................................... UNC-Asheville

Monday, Nov. 24 ..............................................................  at Winthrop

Monday, Dec. 1 ...................................................  at Morehead State

Wednesday, Dec. 3.......................................... Western Carolina *

Saturday, Dec. 13 .................................................................  UNCG * 

Tuesday, Dec. 16 .............................................  at Eastern Kentucky

Monday, Dec. 22 .....................................................................  at VCU

Wednesday, Dec. 31.................................................... at Tennessee

Friday, Jan. 2 ..............................................................................  VMI *

Monday, Jan. 5 ..............................................................  at Samford *

Thursday, Jan. 8 ..................................................................  Mercer *

Saturday, Jan. 10...................................................... Chattanooga *

Thursday, Jan. 15 ........................................... at Western Carolina *

Saturday, Jan. 17 ...................................................................  at VMI *

Monday, Jan. 19 ................................................................  Tusculum

Thursday, Jan. 22................................................................. Citadel *

Saturday, Jan. 24 ............................................................  at Wofford *

Thursday, Jan. 29 ...........................................................  at Furman *

Saturday, Jan. 31....................................... North Carolina Central

Thursday, Feb. 5.................................................................. Wofford *

Saturday, Feb. 7................................................................. Samford *

Thursday, Feb. 12 .............................................................  at UNCG *

Saturday, Feb. 14................................................................ Furman *

Monday, Feb. 16 ...................................................  Tennessee Tech

Saturday, Feb. 21...................................................... at Chattnooga *

Thursday, Feb. 26 ............................................................  at Citadel *

Saturday, Feb. 28.............................................................. at Mercer *

March 6-9.................................. Southern Conference Tournament

Home games in bold

* -- indicates Southern Conference game